Preparing ready-to-eat cereal foods



July 30, 1957 A. K. ozAx-DURRANl 2,801,176

PREPARING READY-TO-EAT CEREAL FOODS Filed' Sept. l0 1955 A Troy/vf?United States Patent 2,801,176 PREPARING READY-T-EAT CEREAL FOODSAtaullah K. Ozai-Durrani, Stuttgart, Ark.

Application September 10, 1953, Serial No. 379,431

1s Claims. (cl. sia-s0) I This application is a continuation-in-part'ofmy copending application Serial No. 188,476 filed October 4, 1950, whichis in turn a continuation-impart of application Serial No. 629,864 filedNovember 20, 1945, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a method of preparing readyto-eat cereal foodsfrom whole o'rbroken grain products of any suitable kind, such as forinstance rice, wheat, oats, rye and corn and to thenovel productobtained.

Cereal foods of the kind stated have been prepared heretofore from wholegrain kernels, i. e., after shelling or husking the harvested, threshedand cured grain, by cooking the'kernels in water under pressure or inVopen air, drying them to rubbery and pliable structure of a moisturecontent from about 15% to 30%, and shaping them by rolling, flaking,shredding, extruding, etc.` The product so obtained was dried thereafterto brittle conditionat a moisture content of about 5% to 14% and heattreated f -or puliing, toasting or roasting purposes.

.Seasoning or liavoring substances were frequently added in smallquantities to the water for cooking the whole kernels, and sometimesalso coloring material. lDrying of the cooked kernels was also combinedwith cooling .then-i. v

These and other known methods required whole or broken kernels obtainedby preceding milling of the threshed and cured grain product. Mostly thehusks and bran were removed from the grains by milling; sometimes thebran was left on the kernels. n

v.The present invention is concerned with a process in which any grainproduct suitable for cereal foods is treated after threshing or curingin such a manner that a ready-to-eat cereal food is obtained in a moreeconomi- .cal and simple manner than heretofore. Consistent with `thismain object of the invention, it is another object to integrate with aprocess of curing, gelatinizing and stabilizing the threshed grainproduct, suitable steps for vshaping it and thus' to obtain aready-to-eat cereal'in the organization of a single treatment of thethreshed grain product.

It is still another object of the invention to integrate with agelatinization, hulling and stabilization process of the threshed grainproduct, steps for shaping and stabilizing it to form a ready-to-eatcereal.

It is still a furtherobject of the invention to utilize the highmoisture content of the gelatinized grain product, at least to a largerextent than heretofore, and the consequent rubbery and pliableconsistency of the grain product for shaping and hulling it, and tostabilize its moisture content thereafter so as to -obtain aready-to-eat cereal.

It is still another object of the invention to cure and gelatinize thethreshed grain product in a cautious manner so as to retain in itskernels desirable vitamins, minerals and other nutritive constituents ofthe unhulled grain and to shape, hull and stabilize it thereafter insuch a manner that the high moisture content of the gelatinized kernelsis utilized, at least to a larger extent thanhereice tofore, in shapingthe kernels so that upon stabilization of their moisture content` aready-to-eat cereal is? obtained. t Y

It is still a further object of the vinvention to combine `with astraight forward process of obtaining a ready-toeat cereal from thethreshed and, if so desired, cured grain product, further treatments bywhich the storage properties of the cereal are increased, its content ofnutritive constituents including vitamins, minerals, etc., enriched, anda desired avor and/or colorimparted t0 it.

It is also an important object ofthe invention to, provide `a novelready-to-eat cereal foodfproduct which is relatively free from brokengrains and which contains to a substantial degree the `originaldesirablevitamin, mineral and nutritional components 'of the cereal.These and other objects of the inventionwill be more clearly understoodwhen the specification proceeds'with reference to the drawings inwhich'Fig. 1 illustrates -a 'flow sheet and Fig.'2 in cross-section agelatnizer preferred by the invention. i 1

According to the invention, the grain product from which the cereal foodis to be prepared, is cured, threshed and cleaned, or cured and-cleanedafter threshing;ithe harvested grain product is eitherxallowed to stay"on the field for a time period Vsutiicientfor drying and curin'g beforethreshing, or stored for-curing in usual containers, such as bins,-afterythreshing, or bothrmethods arecombined inwconventional mannenl lfr The grain product of l :1jr-moisture]r content 'corresponding toitsVV foregoing treatment 'as :described abo've is thereafter-soakei-ifdesired, and'cooked in water and/or steamed to an extent that the'moisture content -ofi the grain vproduct is raisedy to that required forgelatinizatiom i. e., about 34% to 35%, and Athat-a temperature of atleast `212" F. is imparted ,to itfora time period sufficient to effectits complete gelatinization. By this heat treatment alsobacteriainfestajtions,etc.; are destroyed.f The grain kernels swellandalmost'completely lill the-hulls, and the latter open slightly insomecases. i Whereas heretofore the gelatinized grain product was cooled anddried to a moisture content of about 10% to 16% consideredsuitable forsubsequent milling,'according to the present invention-the gelatinizedgrain product is dried either to a higher moisture content'of about 17%to 24% at which` its kernels remain pliable", or cooled and dried onlysuperiicially so that moisture adhering to the outer surface of thegrains is removed and their sticking `together prevented -to a largeextent whereas the moisture content ofthe kernels-'is not -reducedessentially and retains a'value 'of vabout=3()% .to 34%. f A

. The cooled and at least superfcially driedgrainproduct of a. moisturecontent between 17% and 24% and higher is thereafter milled. The hullingmembers, e. g., stones of the miller are set preferably' so that'ronlythe hulls are removed whereas the bran 4is left on the swollen pliablekernels. The milled grain, product is thereafter passed through a graderor separator-in `which larger hulled kernels are separated from smalleror shorter ones which are not yet hulled, and the latter are passedthrough another miller in which the hullingstones are set for removingthe hulls from those smallergelatinized kernels. until practically allthe grains of' different size are hulled. The cautious hulling ispreferred by ,the invention in order to grind olf the hulls only andtosavefthe gelatinized kernels from being broken or-` detrimentallygde-lformed. p i 'l According to a modification of theinvention.' ,thegelatinized grain product preferably of, high moisture l content ispassed inmediately-through a AShaper,lco`1`rpris-,-

This procedure may be repeated, if required, Y

1 3v ing for instance smooth or grooved rolls set at a distance so thatthe hulls are rubbed off and loosened, cracked or broken off and thepliable kernels either somewhat elongated, `or somewhat flattened, orgiven another desired preliminary shape. The grains are then placed on aconveyor or the like and passed under aspirators which remove thecracked andbroken off hulls, whereupon the grain product is passed again`through a shaper, the elements, such as rollers, of which are set so asto rub off, crack or break off the hulls of smaller grains andsimultaneously elongate or flatten to a higher degree still pliablekernels which have been hulled in the first shaping step, and alsoimpart a preliminary shape to the kernels which are hulled the firsttime. This grain product may be passed through a grader or separator,and not yet hulled grains separated from the hulled ones, and the formeradmixed preferably with grains to be passed through the first or secondshapern In'general, two successive combined shaping and hullingoperations suffice.

In this waycooked and gelatinized whole kernels are obtained with theleast possible admixture of broken kernels and containing a large amountof moisture, about 17% as a minimum and preferably 22% to 26% ofmoisture or slightly more, and are therefore of a rubbery and stillhighly pliable consistency.

The kernels are thereafter treated in a washer, if so desired, forremoving therefrom edible, useful or undesired oils, fats andI resins-which are oxidizable and therefore may becomerancid upon long standing.A solvent containing petroleum fractions such as hexane, pentane, etc.,proved suitable because it dissolves those oils, fats and resinscontained in the grain product without removing therefrom'nutritivevitamins, minerals, etc. Other washing agents, in particular dissolvedsoap, can be used to .similar effect. Desirably, this may beaccomplished by treating the kernels with hot water ata temperature of60 or 70 C. to 100 C.,'and preferably between 80 and 90 C., for a periodof about 30'seconds to 10 minutes. This hot water treatment, which maybe conducted by hot water sprays over the kernels, removes withpit muchof the fats and oils from the kernels.

The washed grain product is thereafter passed through a dryer which ispreferably set to remove from the surfaces of the kernels adherentremnants of the solvent or washing agent'without reducing considerablyor markedly their moisture content in order to preserve their rubbery orpliable consistency.

The milled, or hulled land preshaped kernels, may be fiavored afterwashing (if any washing operation was applied), preferably by sprayingupon it a fiavoring mix or solution, the latter consisting, e. g., of afew percent of salt, malt syrup, sugar, etc., dissolved in water; theflavoring mix or solution is added or sprayed upon the kernelspreferably in a tumbler in which they are moved rapidly. The mix orsolution may also contain coloring matter. The fiavoring mix willtightly adhere to the rubbery kernels, and if a flavoring solution isbeing used, i-t will be absorbed rapidly by the kernels and slightlyincrease their moisture content. If this increase of moisture isundesirable, the thus flavored kernels may be passed thereafter througha dryer in which the added moisture is removed again from the kernels. v

Ins-tead of a flavoring mix or solution there also may be used anenriching mixture or solution; in Ithe latter case vitamins, edible ironcompounds and other desired nutritive matter can be dissolved in asuitable liquid and l volatile solvent or suspended in a suspensionmedium,

preferably water, anda measured quantity thereof, e. g., sprayed uponthe kernels the same way as a avoring solution, and the kernels may beslightly dried thereafter if their previous moisture content is to berestored. The enriching mix, suspension or solution may also containcoloring matter.

Of course, the kernels can be treated with both a flavorin'g andenriching (and coloring) mix or solution, if so desired, andparticularly in a single or combined process step.

The still pliable kernels are now ready for final shaping, and arepassed to this effect through attening or flaking rollers, shreddingapparatus, etc., and thereafter through a dryer in which the moisturecontent of the finally shaped grain product is stabilized within therange of about 10% to 16% by weight of the dried product, and aready-to-eat cereal is obtained.

The cereal product can now be stored, packed, shipped and otherwisehandled. It may be toasted, roasted or puffed by the consumer. If atoasting, roasting or puffing heat treatment is to be applied to thecereal product in a plant where it is prepared, this can be doneimmediately after final drying, or can be combined with drying, forinstance by placing the shaped, etc., kernels in a stationary or rotaryoven or retort in which proper temperatures are maintained for asuitable time period, or by mixing the shaped, etc., kernels with hotsand in which proper heat is maintained until the shaped kernels aredried to the stabilized moisture content stated and also roasted.

Further details of the performance of the invention shall now bedescribed with reference to the preparation of a ready-to-eat cereal ofrice, such as roasted, toasted or puffed rice, as a representativeexample of grain products concerned by the invention.

In a first mode of performing the invention, paddy harvested uponmaturity is shocked and left on the field for drying and curing aboutone or four weeks, thereafter threshed, cleaned, soaked and steamed incustomary manner so as to parboil the rice and destroy enzymes, bacteriaand infestations. Upon steaming, the rice kernels are gelatinized,increase in moisture by 4% to 6% and usually attain a moisture contentof about 34% to 35%. The rice grains are thereafter dried so as toremove therefrom moisture adhering to the surface from the precedingsteaming and, if so desired, to reduce their moisture content to about17% to 25% and preferably 22%, at which the kernels are still of rubberyand pliable consistency. The grain product is thereafter milled in oneor more steps as described hereinbefore, for remov ing therefrom thehulls, and handled for segregating still unhulled grains from the hulledones. The gelatinized whole rice kernels thus recovered and still of amoisture content of between about 17% to 25% and higher are washedand/or enriched and/or flavored and/or colored l in the manner describedhereinbefore, then slightly dried,

if so desired, in order to remove moisture added to the kernels bytreating them with any solution for the purposes stated, thereaftershaped, e. g., between rollers to flakes, or shredded, etc., and thendried finally to a stabilized moisture content of about 10% to 16% anddesirably 10% to 14%, whereby a ready-to-eat rice cereal is obtained. Itmay be roasted, toasted or puffed While it is finally dried orthereafter, and in the latter case, for instance, by the consumer.

In a second mode of performing the invention, the harvested paddy orother rough grain'product is cleaned and threshed immediately afterharvesting and steamed so as to gelatnize the kernels within the hulls.Thereby segregation of natural vitamin, mineral and sugar contents inthe bran and polish is prevented to a large extent, and these desirablenutritive constituents are retained in the kernels and bran left thereonduring subsequent milling. The threshed and cleaned grain product ispreferably fed on a conveyor moving through a steam chamber filled withlive steam of approximately atmospheric pressure which imparts to thegrains a temperature of at least about C., and the grains remain in thechamber until they have absorbedsucient moisture from water condensed ontheir surfaces from the steam to increase their moisture content by 4%to 6% to complete gelatinization `of their kernels. If desired, steampressure of S to l5 pounds above. atmospheric may be used, but desirablythe ultimate temperature of the grains should be 97 to 100 C.If'temperaturessubstantially exceeding 100V C. .are avoided in the steamchamber in the manner described, caramelization of the natural sugarspresent in the grains and their consequent discoloring is avoided. Alsoa large yield of whole kernels results upon hulling subsequent togelatinization, whereas enzymes, bacteria and infestations aredestroyed.The thus gelatinized grains, and particularly parboiled rice grains arethereafter passed through a drying chamber in which warm dry air is`circulated about the grains of such a temperature and for such a timeperiod that the grains are dried superficially only, or to a lowermoisture content of at least about 17% and preferably 22% to 24%. Thegelatinized grains of a moisture content of about 17% to 24% and higherare thereafter hulled and Washed and/or enriched and/or flavored and/ orcolored and, if a predetermined moisture content within the range statedis to be maintained, slightly dried, shaped to the form of the desiredcereal, and nally dried 4to a stabilized moisture content so that aready-to-eat cereal results.

t Instead of hulling the gelatinized grains Yin millers of .adjustmentsdescribed hereinbefore, hulling `0f the grains and preshaping of thehulled kernels of a moisture content of about 17% to 24% and preferably22% to 26% or `28% can be combined by passing the gelatinized and atleast superficially dried grains through shaping apparatus, such asbetween smooth or grooved rollers which rub Off or .crack the hulls andalso preshape the gelatinized whole kernels, as described hereinbefore.After one or more successive preshaping operations and removal ofcracked off hulls for instance by aspirators, the washing, enriching,ilavoring, coloring, etc., treatments are applied to the gelatinizedwhole kernels segregated from still unhulled grains, and the kernels arethen finally shaped and ,nally dried to the desired stabilized moisturecontent whereby the ready-to-eat cereal is obtained.

As a thirdexample of the treatment of a grain product as represented forinstance by rice, may be brieily described with reference to Figs. 1 and2 `of the drawing. Paddy or another grain product harvested uponmaturity is cured and threshed in customary manner, or threshedimmediately after harvesting and cured or dried thereafter. The threshedand Acleaned grain product of a moisture content between and 16% uponcuring, or of a,

Ihigher moisturecontent up to 26% to 28% if not cured, is contacted witha measured quantity of water which the grains can still absorb attemperatures of or below about 30 C. (which do not promote enzymicactions) or at higher temperatures well below 70 C. and'preferably belowabout 63 C. at which gelatinization sets in. This cautious soaking iseffected preferably by sprinkling the quantity of water which the grainscan still absorb under the temperature conditions stated, while thegrains are lilled into and slowly move downwardly through an uprighttank or bin or seriatim through a battery of them; this measuredquantity of water remains in contact with the cleaned grains for a timeperiod between about 6 hours and one or more days; the longer the timeperiod, the moresaccharication effects are promoted resulting `insweetening of the grain product. The water forms :Elms on the individualgrains and is readily absorbed by them through the capillaries of thehulls and other coverings into the kernels. While the moisturepenetrates through the hulls and coverings, it dissolves a largepercentage of valuable solubles, including vitamins, minerals .and saltscontained in those coverings and carries them into the kernels which arethereby enriched. The thus soaked grains are almost free of surfacemoisture, thereforevdo not stick together and flow freely. Any excesswater not absorbed by or adhering to the grains collects above-thebot-tom of the tank and is drained olf for use ,in a lsubsequent soakingtreatment. The amount of such excess water will be incomparably lessthan in soaking processes heretofore used, and therefore only a smalllamount of solubles removed thereby from the hulls which will ow freely.

are utilized thereafter in soaking another load of fresh grains. H -4 tThe soaked grains are withdrawn from the tank or bin and freed fromsurface moisture by directing 'upon them an air blast or the like, andcontain about 29% moisture. The grain product is thereafter gelatinizedin a steam chamber, preferably after being preheated in a conditioner toabout 60 to 70 C. The steam chamber may comprise, for instance, anupright confined space through the top of which `the preheated grainsare introduced so that they fall therethrough under the action ofgravity, whereas steam of a temperature of about to C.,is released intothe confined space from its bottom and streams upwardly in counter-owwith the grains. By properly measuring the volume of steam per time unitand the height'of. the space over which the grains move downwardly, theperiod for which the grains are in contact with the steam within theconfined space can be timed so that thegrains are heated to about 100 C.(212 P.) and some water is condensed from the steam on and quicklyabsorbed by them; thereby their moisture content is increased by 4% to6% or to about 34% to 35% and complete gelatinization as well as cookingof the grain product attained. The thus absorbed water penetratesthrough the hulls and coverings of the grains, dissolves residues ofsoluble constituents still in them and carries those constituents intothe swelling kernels undergoing gelatinization; thereby an enrichedgelatinized grain product of desired storage properties is obtained,since enzymes, bacteria and infestations are destroyed by the steaming.

A modification of the process just described consists in that thecleaned, rough grains are delivered through pipe 11 into and passedaxially through a first horizontal cylinder 10, Fig. 1 and exposedtherein to a stream of saturated steam admitted through inlet 12, vof avolume per time unit controlled automatically or manually with respectto the quantity of the grain product moved axially throughthe cylinderper time unit so that the grains are heated to about 60 to 70 C. and inany event below gelatinization temperature. Thereby air contained withinthe hulls of the grains between their starch granules is Vexpanded andescapes through the pores of the hulls, in

general without promoting enzymic reactions due to the short timeperiod, say about 15 to 30 minutes that the grains remain withincylinder 10. The thus evacuated grains are transferred through pipe 16into another cylinder 17 in which they are contacted with cold or wannwater supplied through pipe 18 and of a temperature below about 30 C.and in any even-t below about 60 C., and the quantity of which ismeasured automatically or manually preferably to equal approximatelythat which the evacuated grains can absorb without gelatinization. Thegrains are moved through cylinder 17 the same way as through the firstone, preferably by means of paddles on belt and pulley driven shafts 13,14 which also agitate the grains and secure their intimate contact withthe steam in the rst and the soaking water in the second cylinder. Byevacuating the grains in cylinder 10, the absorption by them of soakingwater in the second cylinder is greatly enhanced and accelerated andthereby the over-all time period required for soaking the grains incylinder 17 reduced to about 15 minutes to one or a few hours. Themeasured quantity of soaking water can, e. g., be sprinkled upon thegrains moving through cylinder 17. The soaked grains will contain about29% moisture, and they Moisture adhering to the grains discharged fromcylinder 17 through pipe 19 can be removed in a dryer, consisting, e.g., of a conveyor belt 20 and one or more air blowers 21.

The thus soaked grains can be discharged either into a steam chamber asdescribed hereinbefore, or into another cylinder 22 in which the grainsare preheated to about 60 to 70 C. To this effect, the grains are movedthrough cylinder .22 by means of paddles on a beltand pulley drivenshaft 1'5 and a measured volume per time unit of live steam ofatmospheric pressure is released into the cylinder. Cylinders providedwith inlet and outlet chutes for the grain product, shafts with paddles,and automatic or manually operated means for admitting a controlledvolume of steam are known in the art. The preheated grains aretransferred through pipe23 into another cylinder 24 for steaming them.While this cylin- 'der can be vof any standard construction, I preferthe one shown in the drawing. It comprises a hollow shaft 16 air tightlypassed through the end walls 25, 26 of the horizontal cylinder 24 whichis provided with a heating jacket 28 supplied through pipe 29 with steamunder pressure which keeps the inside wall 27 of the jacket exposed tothe cylinder space at a temperature well above 100 C. Steam is releasedinto the cylinder space through pipe 30, head 31, hollow shaft 16 andholes 32 therein of a size lsmaller than the grains, and the temperatureand volume of the steam thus released is controlled automatically ormanually so that the grains moved through the cylinder by worm 33 onshaft 16 are heated to about 100 C. and suiiicient -water is condensedon them which water upon ready absorption through the hulls increasesthe moisture content of the grain kernels by 4% to 6% or to about 34% to35%. Thereby the kernels are completely gelatinized `and cooked.4 Sincecondensation of kexcess moisture is completely or almost completelyprevented, the gelatinized grainsleaving the steaming ,cylinder throughpipe 34 will flow freely, contain a large amount of the naturalnutritive constituents previously comprised by the hulls and bran, Whileenzymes, bacteria land infestations are destroyed.

Cylinder 35 with perforations 36 smaller than the grains -prevents thelatter from Vcontacting the hot wall 27 whereas water condensing fromthe vsteam drops through ,the perfor-ations onto wall 27 and isevaporated again. Pulley 37 and belt 38 drive shaft 16 at desired speed.

The thus gelatinized grains are either dried supercially ,only onconveyor belt 39, Fig. 1, by air blower or blowers 40 or to lowermoisture content above the one heretofore considered suitable formilling, preferably in a customary dryer and to a `moisture contentbetween about 17% to 24%. However, mere removal ofsurface moisture cansuffice for the subsequent treatment according to the invention.

In this as well as in all the previous examples, at leas-t thesuperlicially dried grain product can be run through breaking rolls 41,Fig. l, which separate gelatinized grains which accidentally` sticktogether and which accidentally stick together and which straighten outdeformed grains.

The gelatinized grain product is thereafter milled in miller 42 and thewhole kernels are washed in washer 43, supercially dried in auxiliarydryer 44, enriched and/or flavored and/ or colored, etc., by sprayingupon it a suitable solution or mixture in tumbler 45. A mix sprayed uponthe still rubbery kernels sticks tightly to them, whereas a solution isquickly absorbed. Thereafter the kernels which are still of a preferredmoisture content of about 17 to 26% or 28% and therefore pliable, areshaped, for instance iiaked by tiaking rolls 46, and finally dried indryer 47 to a stabilized moisture content of about 10% to 16% andpreferably about 13% to 14% suitable for storing, packing and shipping.-In case the washing step is to be omitted, the hulled gelatinizedkernels are delivered directly from miller 42 into the enriching, etc.,apparatus 4S, as indicated indotted lines.

y If the modification of the invention is used according to which thegelatinized grain product is preshaped and simultaneously its hulls arerubbed off or cracked, the grain product is passed from the breakingrollers 41 to a preshaping and hulling apparatus 48 in which smooth orlgrooved rolls are used of an adjustment and effect describedhereinbefore, and the preshaped and hulled kernels as well as unhulledgrains of smaller size are delivered' to an aspirator and grader 49which removes cracked hulls by aspiration and separates hulledgelatinized kernels from still unhulled smaller gelatinized grains inithe manner hereinbefore described; only one such preshaping and hullingapparatus aswell as one aspirating and separating apparatus is shown inFig. 1 for the sake of simplicity. The preshaped and hulled kernels arethen delivered either to washer 43 and treated thereafter in the sameway as hulled kernels delivered from miller 42, or delivered directly tothe enriching, etc., apparatus 45 if an enriching, etc., operation isdesired; in any event the still pliable preshaped kernels of a moisturecontent of about 17% to 34% are finally shaped, such as flaked andlfinally dried.

lf final drying to a stabilized moisture content and roasting, toastingor pulling, etc., are to be combined, the shaped, for instance flakedkernels are delivered to a rotary or stationary roasting, etc.,apparatus, in the exemplification o'f Fig. 'l to a sand roaster 50.

Whether the nally shaped kernels be only dried thereafter or dried androasted, etc., in any event a ready-toleat cereal is obtained in anentire process in which all lthe operations for treating the threshedand cleaned grain product, i. e., gelatinizing, hulling, shaping andfinal drying are integrated and which therefore is highly economical,requires theY least equipment and utilizes to large extent the moisturecontent of the gelatinized grain product for shaping its kernels to thedesired ready-to-eat cereal.

The effect of the process can further be increased if moisture isremoved lfrom the gelatinized kernels by exposing them to cold or hotdrying air, by treating the latter in an apparatus for condensing fromit volatile nutritive matter which may have been removed from thekernels with the moisture. This condensed matter can be recirculatedinto the water used for soaking and/or gelatinizing fresh grainproducts. If for similar purposes water is recirculated which has beenused for soaking or gelatinizing `the grain product but was not heatedto C. and higher so as to destroy bacteria, etc., contained `thereinfrom the treated grain product, such water can be treated beforerecirculation for destroying those bacteria, etc., by a pasteurizing orother sterilization process, such as treating the water with chlorine.

If the foregoing speciication and appended claims reterenoe is made tocertain moisture contents of the grain product, it should be understoodthat the hulls contain relatively smaller and the kernels relativelylarger portions ofthe moisture, and the percentages stated thereforrefer to the'average moisture content by weight of the grain productincluding its hulls. Where reference is made to the moisture content ofthe dried kernels, the average percentage of moisture by weight of thekernels is meant.

Where reference is made to a moisture content of Vthe hulled or wholegelatinized and pliable kernels, before and while they are shaped andbefore they are .finally dried to a stabilized moisture content, itshould be understood that a high moisture content is concerned, about17% by weight of the hulled or whole kernels as a minimum at which theyare pliable for easy shaping and of a rubbery consistency so that forinstance a dry mixture of enriching, flavoring, etc., matter can rmlyadhere to and be pressed into them upon shaping; on the other hand, suchfrom a threshed and cleaned grain product, including the steps ofgelatinizing the grain product at a temperature of about 100 C. in thepresence of suflicient moisture to increase the moisture content thereofby about 4% to 6%, drying the resulting gelatinized grain product toeffect a reduction in the moisture content thereof but not below about17%, hulling said grain product, applying to the hulled gelatinizedkernels of pliable consistency thus obtained a nal shape correspondingto that desired in the cereal, and drying thereafter said shaped kernelsto a stabilized moisture content between about 10% and 16% so that aready-to-eat cereal food is obtained.

2. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product, including the steps of gelatinizing the grainproduct at at least about 100 C. in the presence of suilicient moistureto increase the moisture content to about 35 removing from thegelatinized grain product at least the moisture adhering to the surfacesof the grains from said gelatinizing process to reduce the moisturecontent to between about 17% and about 34% moisture, hulling said grainproduct, applying to the hulled gelatinized kernels of pliableconsistency thus obtained a final shape corresponding to that desired inthe cereal, and drying thereafter said shaped kernels to a stabilizedmoisture content between about 10% and 16% so that a ready-to-eat cerealfood is obtained.

3. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product, including the steps of soaking at a temperaturebetween room temperature yand about 70 C. and thereafter gelatnizing thegrain product at at least about 100 C. in the presence of suicientmoisture to increase the moisture content to about 35%, removing fromthe gelatinized grain products at least the moisture adhering to thesurfaces of the grains from said gelatinizing process to reduce themoisture content to between about 17% and about 34% moisture, preshapingsaid grain product and simultaneously loosening its hulls, removing theloosened hulls, applying thereafter to the preshaped kernels of pliableconsistency thus obtained a inal shape corresponding to that desired inthe cereal and drying said finally shaped kernels to a stabilizedmoisture content between about 10% and 16% so that a ready-to-eat cerealfood is obtained.

4. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed and-cleaned grain product, including the steps of soaking at a temperaturebetween room temperature and about 70 C. and thereafter gelatinizing thegrain product at at least about 100 C. in the presence of sufiicientmoisture to increase the moisture content to about 35 cooling thegelatinized grain product and removing therefrom at least the moistureadhering to the surfaces of the grains from said gelatinizing process toreduce the moisture content to between about 17 and 34% moisture,preshaping said grain product and simultaneously loosening its hulls,removing the loosened hulls, applying to the preshaped kernels ofpliable consistency thus obtained a final shape corresponding to thatdesired in the cereal, and drying said finally shaped kernels to a sta:bilized moisture content between about 10% yand 16% so that aready-to-eat cereal food is obtained.

5. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product, including the steps of soaking at a temperaturebetween room temperature and about 70 C. and thereafter gelatinizing thegrain product at at least about 100 C. in the presence of suicientmoisture to increase the moisture content to about 35%, cooling thegelatinized grain product and removing therefrom at least the moistureadhering to the surfaces of the grains from said gelatinizing process toreduce the moisture content to between about 17% and 34% moisture,preshaping said grain product and simultaneously loosening its hulls,removing the loosened hulls, treating and thereafter applying to thepreshaped land treated kernels of still pliable consistency thusobtained a iinal shape corresponding to that desired in the cereal, anddrying said iinally shaped kernels to a stabilized moisture contentbetween about 10% and 16% so that a readyto-eat cereal food is obtained.

6. In a method as set forth in claim 2, soaking the cleaned grainproduct before gelatinizing it, at a temperature between roomtemperature and about 70 C. with a measured quantity of moistureequaling approximately the maximum amount which the grain product canabsorb at the soaking temperature.

7. In a method as set forth in claim 2, gelatinizing the grain productat at least about C. in the presence of moisture measured to equalapproximately the maximum amount which the grain product can absorb atthe gelatinization temperature.

8. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 1, in which the threshedand cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

9. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 2, in which the threshedIand cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

10. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 3, in which the threshedand cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

11. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from -a threshedand cleaned grain product in accordance with claim 4, in which thethreshed and cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

12. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 5, in which the threshedand cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

13. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 6, in which the threshed`and cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

14. A method of preparing a ready-to-eat cereal food from a threshed andcleaned grain product in accordance with claim 7, in which the threshedand cleaned grain product is threshed and cleaned rice paddy.

15. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the hulled gelatinizedkernels are treated with hot water to remove fats and oils from thekernels.

16. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the hulled gelatinizedkernels are treated with hot water sprays at a temperature of between 60and 100 C. to remove fats and oils from the kernels.

17. A ready-to-eat cereal food prepared by the method defined in claim2.

18. A ready-to-eat cereal food prepared by the method defined in claim3.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS400,835 Donelson Apr. 2, 1889 1,364,912 Baumgartner Jan. 11, 19211,377,125 Gurjar May 3, 1921 1,832,813 Luke Nov. 17, 1931 2,021,721Gibbon Nov. 19, 1935 2,064,701 Stokkebye Dec. 15, 1936 2,295,116 KelloggSept. 8, 1942 2,358,251 Huzenlaub etal. Sept. 12, 1944

1. A METHOD OF PREPARING A READY-TO-EAT CEREAL FOOD FROM A THRESHED AND CLEANED GRAIN PRODUCT, INCLUDING THE STEPS OF GELATINIZING THE GRAIN PRODUCT AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 100*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF SUFFICIENT MOISTURE TO INCREASE THE MOISTURE CONTENT THEREOF BY ABOUT 4% TO 6%, DRYING THE RESULTING GELATINIZED FRAIN PRODUCT TO EFFECT A REDUCTION IN THE MOISTURE CONTENT THEREOF BUT NOT BELOW ABOUT 17%, HULLING SAID GRAIN PRODUCT, APPLYING TO THE HULLED GELATINIZED KERNELS OF PLIABLE CONSISTENCY THUS OBTAINED A FINAL SHAPE CORRESPONDING TO THAT DESIRED IN THE CEREAL, AND DRYING THEREAFTER SAID SHAPED KERNELS TO A STABILIZED MOISTURE CONTENT BETWEEN ABOUT 10% AND 16% SO THAT A READY-TO-EAT CEREAL FOOD IS OBTAINED. 